heartsoul1 Ok, this is a standard disclaimer. The characters in this story are owned by AIC,
Viz, and Pioneer. I just came up with the story, not the people. Don't sue me.
Especially pioneer since I've already bought over a thousand dollars worth of electrical
equipment and Anime from you this year. What more do you want from me?
Now a little side note this story uses the Christian religion as a background. Any
and all changes made that differ with Christian dogma were intentionally. Any changes
or mistakes about the Shinto/Buddhism religion were done accidentally.

Heart and Soul

Act 1: The Trials of a Soul

Pulled from the darkest bowels of hell, the demon kneeled before her master.
Clothed in a metallic dress that revealed her best features in whatever position she chose
to assume. The succubus arched her back ever so slightly to give her lord a better view.
He smiled at her, of all of his demons, she had tempted the most holy men to sin. She
had started the most war with her whisperings of grandeur into men's ears. Her power
had grown with every soul collected. But her original gift still named her the Demon
Summoner Ryoko.
She had only failed him once a hundred years ago today, when a monk in a small
Japanese shrine had banished her. Forced her down to hells lowest depths for the
requisite time.
"The monk who sealed you had a grandson." He smiled at her seeing her tail start
to twitch and her perfect sexual pose just a little off now. "His soul also does not belong
to us or the other side. Find out who it belongs to and harvest it for us." He paused.
"Should you encounter anyone from the other side, remove them."
"Yes, my lord." She stood with a grace impossible to match and disappeared.

***

Aeka waited before the pure white gates for an audience with her lord, ruffling
her feathers impatiently. The two arch-angels standing watch, giving her a stare that
would have frozen any soul in its place. Calming herself she smoothed her feathers and
tucked her wings to her side. Reassuringly tightening her hands on the buckler and spear.
It would taste Ryoko's blood again, she would make sure of that.
The doors parted letting out her lords peace and calm. Proudly marching forward
Aeka approached to the proper distance and stood at attention.
"Aeka, you have not taken up shield and spear since the great rebellion. Why do
you come dressed for war today?" The voice caressed her heart as she stared straight
ahead, calm for the first time in a week.
"Milord the Demon Summoner Ryoko has returned from her banishment and is
once again on Earth." For the first time in a very long time the name didn't cause her
voice to reach an irritating peak and her face to scrunch up into a frown.
"I know." The light before her dimmed a second as some great miracle was rote
on the world and then brightened to full intensity once again. "You have fought Ryoko
four times since your defeated her in the great rebellion and have lost each time. With
every soul that she has stolen her powers have increased. Do you wish to spend another
hundred years in exile, Aeka."
"Milord, bless my spear and I shall not fail you." She kneeled, spear in front of
her, waiting for his decision. A breeze blew through the audience chamber or a gentle
sigh. He would not interfere with anyone's self will if He could help it. The room
dimmed again as her spear began to glow and then radiate pure light. Gathering it and
her shield Aeka bowed and turned to leave.
"Wait! The soul the succubus is after does not belong to me either. Retrieve that
soul for me. That is your primary mission."
"As Milord commands."

***

"Dry your tears, Princess." Kamidake ordered her. "We have arrived at Earth."
The princess blood shot eyes found the screen displaying a water filled planet. Jurai had
looked the same way when she had left for the Farreach system. Jurai's first and only
colony. The colony had been holding its 100th year founding ceremony, that had
unfortunately landed near the kings birthday. A Royal had to make an appearance to
such a memorable event. Her father had called upon his children asking for one to go.
And the Princess, youngest of 14, had leapt at the chance to get away from the priestesses
and her training.
She forcibly choked back tears at the sight of a planet that she saw as her home.
Her body straightened, her face hardening "Bring the fleet into orbit and locate Yosho's
grandson." The princesses voice commanded. "The line of Jurai must continue."

***

The head monk grinned scanning the letter again. Who could have believed that
Yosho's grandson could be so gullible. The boy had asked for one priestess to help him
learn how to properly maintain the Tsunami shrine and to assist him with the rituals.
Outside his office something banged into metal, followed by an "I'm Sorry. Here
let me help you. Oh that didn't seem to work." Another clatter as something hit the
ground. "Oh, goodness, I'm so sorry." The head monk grinned again removing anything
breakable from his desk and sliding the items into drawers. Soon he would be rid of her.

***

"Washu, I know your in there, open up." Tenchi pounded on the door to one of
the upstairs bedrooms. Dressed in a Shinto monks robes the eighteen year old looked out
of place in the huge Masaki house. "If you do this one little favor for me I'll delay the do
date on your rent for a week."
The door jerked open and then closed before Tenchi even had a chance to glance
inside. Before him stood the forty year old scientist still not looking a day over twelve.
Since as long as Tenchi could remembered she had lived in that room, every so often
causing the house to shudder from another explosion or two and fighting with his dad or
grandfather over the rent.
"Well, what is it Tenchi, my time is valuable."
"I just got a phone call from the head monk in Tokyo. He's sending us a priestess
on the next bullet train." Tenchi paused wondering why the monk had sent the woman
packing in such a hurry. It wasn't like it was an emergency, all he needed was some help
and a little coaching on the more important ceremonies. Yosho had taught him just about
everything else before his death and the rest Tenchi had pieced together from seeing his
grandfather perform the same rituals over and over again since he was a kid.
"Could you please pick her up. I've got a meeting with Kiyone, if I'm even a
minute late..." Tenchi grinned at Washu as she huffed at him. She had been the only
mother figure in Tenchi's life even if it had been against her better judgment.
"A one week delay in my rent payment and you've got a deal." She smiled up at
him just a little to warmly as she held out her hand. He gripped her hand in a strong
clasp sealing their deal.
"She arrives at 2:30 and thanks. I've got to go change." He bounded across the
hall towards his room leaving Washu behind. Hungrily she headed down to the kitchen
no longer having to hide from one of her bill collectors and began to create a major
scientific marvel in its own right. The perfect sandwich. "Yes, I am a genius." Washu
cackled to herself at the first bite.

***

Ryoko merged with a shadow watching Tenchi as he wandered down a street
checking his watch every so often. She always observed her prey waiting for the right
moment when its soul wavered. Observing the correct way to tempt her next victim.
Unlike other demons who made grandiose promises that slipped through their victims
fingers do to some fine print. Ryoko rarely ever used trickery, she studies, and then gave
them what they wanted in no uncertain terms. It was why she always got her soul. At
least always had. She unconsciously growled at the memory. To have been exiled by a
lone monk in a shabby shrine was an embarrassment. Perhaps, she had been a little to
overconfident after having defeated Aeka in a short but very sweet battle. Her growl
turned to a purr in memory of Aeka's scream of pain and rage as Ryoko banished her
from this dimension. *Hmm... her exile should be over now too perhaps when I have
lured this soul to my master I will find her and enjoy that scream again.*
She transferred herself from one shadow to another one closer to him. It was
amazing to her how close he resembled and acted like Yosho. Carefully, she had studied
Yosho a month attempting to locate some obvious weakness, unlike a normal person she
had not been able to observe the strings and knots that connected his soul to other people.
She had been forced to observe and guess. The battle with Aeka though had left her
feeling cocky and unprepared for one as complex as Yosho. Somehow he had felt the
difference in her no human should have been able to feel, and using a spell she had never
seen, so one she assumed was false, had banished her.
Tenchi was the same as Yosho, his souls tangling hidden from her sight but he
was just a boy. A young inexperienced man child, and they didn't call her a succubus for
nothing. She swished her tale grinning and moved on to another shadow. She would
wait though. He was still to much like Yosho not to be cautious and she enjoyed playing
with her prey.

***

Ryoko was near by, Aeka could feel her. Dressed in a humans clothes a short
blue dress with matching blouse and tie. Concealing her spirit and cloaking it so as to
appear as if she had a human soul, Aeka wandered down the street tailing the human
Tenchi.
From what she could observe he was the type of soul that she usually helped. It
was hard for her to tell though, usually with just one glance and she would see what type
of soul a human had. But he was a blank there. At first she had thought that he was
some sort of human creation, a false being. But now from only a few steps away as he
paused in front of a flower stand, inquiring about the price, she felt his soul it was their
but unreadable, masked by something powerful. No not masked, owned by something
else. If that was the case then his soul could be swayed to her side, loved and cherished.
It would be nice to take on a new human and give him inspiration while protecting him,
even if it was a little out of her job description. But...
But, first things first, she was going to banish Ryoko and for that she had to find
her. Turing a corner and scanning one second to make sure that no eyes were on her.
Aeka morphed down into a little blue eyed girl carrying a bright red ball. Gainfully
employed with her ball no one ever thought that in fact the little girl was watching a
nondescript boy approaching a boring little suburban house.

***

Washu taped her foot impatiently and glanced at her watch again. How could the
damn train be already fifteen minutes late. The damn thing was suppose to be one of the
most punctual trains in the world. To add to that she felt like an idiot holding the little
placard and the conductor kept asking her where her mother was.
She had finally given up and told him that her mom was on the train. The fool
had believed her. Even though she was carrying a placard saying "Ms. Mihoshi." Maybe
the fool would buy her a snack out of the machine.
"The train from Tokyo is now arriving. Please stay behind the yellow line."
Washu looked up expectantly as the train pulled up to the station with a jerky stop and a
wizz of air brakes.
Escorted by two conductors, a blond woman dressed in robes was forcefully being
expelled from the train. "I'm sorry. I thought the little red button flushed the toilet."
Washu watched her bounce as she thrown from the train, tears welling up in sides of her
eyes. Feeling a headache coming on, Washu rubbed her temple hoping with all her might
that one of the other passengers on the train was the priestess. Holding her sign up she
prayed silently trying to think of the name of that goddess, Yosho had rebuilt the shrine
for. As the blond woman cried at the base of the train, praying to whoever the hell it was,
she was not the one known as Mihoshi. The crowds parted hurriedly, leaving Washu
alone in their wake with the disheveled woman. Knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt
that she would regret the question, Washu almost kindly tapped the woman's shoulder
gently. "Uh... miss are you Ms. Mihoshi?" The water works shut off as quickly as they
had appeared as the woman stared blankly up at Washu. *Great she's forgotten her own
name.* Washu sighed and repeated the question.
"Uh... yes I am. How do you know that are you..."
"Yes..." Washu nodded her head encouragingly.
"Are you..." She paused once again. "Are you.... a child psychic." Washu rubbed
her temples and begged all the gods, that anyone had ever believed in, to give her
strength.

***

Kiyone carefully examined herself in the mirror checking for anything out of
place, mentally running down a check list. Making sure that every thing she needed or
might need for the upcoming meeting with Tenchi was perfect. She still wouldn't let
him call it a date. After all she had plans to go off to college and become a police officer
or maybe a lawyer. Something to do with justice.
An errant lock of hair escaped her orange headband and she shoved it back into
place. Snickering at Mayuka's comment that she would be married in the thing. On the
other hand Tenchi was so nice, and though he never let on Kiyone knew that his family
was well off. Even more so since his father's and grandfather's death. But staying in this
little town being a caretaker of a shabby little shrine just wasn't how she wanted to see
herself in ten years. She checked her reflection one more time in the mirror and glanced
at her watch. Tenchi should arrive in exactly two minutes, heading down the stairs she
waited for him.

***

"Princess we have located Yosho's grandson." Kamidake told her, trying to focus
the little girls attention on the matters at hand.
The princesses face hardened. "Take us." She paused her face softened then
flashed back to steel. The hardness settled as her breathing became labored. "Take us
down and find him." The princess' face softened again as the Juraian flag ship
"Tsunami" broke off from her escorts and entered earth's atmosphere. The ship
shuddered slightly as the outer wall began to warm from the atmospheric pressure.
"Two native fighter crafts on an interception course. They are ordering us to halt
our descent." Twenty screens focused on the two small ships showing them in a
multitude of different angles and ranges.
The princess' body straightened in full control for once. "Warn them off, if they
interfere in any way, shoot them down I will tolerate no interference." Her face remained
steel as her breathing became once again irregular. A tear gathering in one eye
unnoticed. The two native low altitude air craft unable to maintain the speed necessary
to keep up with the "Tsunami" broke off their pursuit. The princess' steal face softened
her breaths in gasps. The little girl fell forward catching herself with her hands. Failing
to rise from the ships deck she curled into a ball. Knowing that in a few minutes she
would be required to put on the mask necessary for a Juraian Princess and meet her
husband to be.

***

It had taken Washu five minutes of trying to convince Mihoshi that she was not a
child psychic before giving up and admitted to being able to see Mihoshi's future. Her
headache had increased to the throbbing level, that could only be brought on by stress
had her ready to foretell, and then fulfill, the prophecy of Mihoshi's death.
"Lets go find Tenchi." She said grabbing the woman and looking at the station
clock blink 2:50. If they hurriedly they could just make it to Kiyone's house by 3:00 and
maybe forestall the disaster of leading this woman to their house. The shrine was better
off in her opinion with Tenchi alone, then Tenchi and this woman, and Washu had this
odd feeling, almost psychic in nature, that if this woman ever got to the Masaki house
there would be no getting rid of her.

***

Tenchi looked pensively at his watch waiting for it to change to 3:00. Finally it
reached that appointed time. As he lifting his hand to knock on the door just as it
opened. Bowing slightly, Tenchi presented one red rose to Kiyone, trying to hide his
shock at seeing her on a non-school day, in a skirt. She stared at his rose for a second
then snatched it. Trying to glare at him fiercely and failing.
"I told you, we are just going to a movie and dinner, not a date." She tried to tell
him gruffly but failed miserably.
"No, a meeting."
"A meeting."

***

In a shadow cast by the door, Ryoko smiled. She had finally begun to see a
weakness in her prey. But one that could make her job harder. *Young love, how sweet.
Its going to be fun to tear them apart.* Carefully she examined the young lady's soul. It
was neutral neither light or black but a solid gray. And connected by a strong thread of
fate to Tenchi before disappearing into the blackness that obscured his soul.
*Two souls for the price of one.* She flicked her tail to one side in her shadow
void. It was good to be back on Earth.

***

Bouncing her ball the little girl watched Tenchi, still trying to locate Ryoko. The
demon was so close that it was almost a physical pain in her gut. Aeka wanted nothing
more then to reveal herself and challenge the evil creature.
The little love scene being played out in front of her was a nice relief to that pain.
Love and happiness in humans was something she, well not quite fed on, more like
absorbed for mental contentment. Angels rarely ever ate, food being a useless and
needlessly messy experience. But to maintain their mental balance they needed love,
happiness, joy, and peace, your basic good emotions.
Demons unlike in popular myths and legends did not consume evil emotions.
Their nature being that of fallen angels would not allow them to consume anything,
instead they jealously tried to stop angels from consuming their needed food by tempting,
or in the most part, just leaving the humans alone to walk down the path of darkness. It
was a much easier path to walk down then the other path. Careful concentration was
required to walk the streets of light or gold as it were. Even that careful concentration in
its own way could lead them to evil.
Kiyone accepted Tenchi's rose as Aeka's supposedly played with her bright red
ball. Something loud like thunder exploded above Aeka's head with out even thinking
about it she looked up.
The bright red ball dropped from her hands and rolled down the street forgotten.
For the first time in her existence, since before creation, she was truly unequivocally
shocked.

***

Washu picked up the ball that a little girl had dropped, and handed it to her telling
the child to run home. Stuck stiff from fright but still young, the young girl accepted the
ball and ran around a corner disappearing.
It was the same basic ship design. She was sure of that though huge compared to
the little scout craft, Yosho had landed in. But Washu doubted that their was more then
one race even in the infinite vastness of space that would use wooden ships to sail the sea
of stars. Or at least that's what they appeared like, the composition was still beyond the
complete understanding of her research.
Kiyone, her rational, tightly ordered world unbalanced grabbed Tenchi and threw
him into the house. Closing the door behind her. From this far away Washu couldn't
hear the locks being turned in place but she would have bet that they were.
The ship leveled off at about thirty feet above the house slowly spinning ninety
degrees length wise before it came to a complete stop and just hovered.
"Uh, little psychic are we being invaded, because there was so much I wanted to
do before the end of the world. I wanted to get that kawaii bear in the front window of
*Toy Sounds.* I wanted to..."
"No you twit." Patience, even that of a scientist, could only last so long. "It's
just an expected family gathering." Her outburst was ignored as the blond kept on
rambling to herself.

***

Tenchi peaked out the window again. Only to confirm that the ship was still their
hovering mundanely as if it belonged. A ball of light shot out of the ship quickly slowing
down until it settled onto the sidewalk leading to Kiyone's house. The ball or more
likely bubble burst, revealing a steel faced girl and a pair of sawed off tree trunks,
decorated with runes, hovering behind her.
"Yes... Police... I need the Self Defense Force to send everything they have to...
what...? Thanks a lot." The phone slammed down behind him. The entire exchange
failing to break Tenchi's concentration on the approaching forms.
They neared the house the little girls dignity incalculable. Her head high, her
eyes clear and piercing, her manners so perfect for a royal court. She gave the
impression that the sidewalk she walked down was actually a receiving hall or even her
own palace. Neither looking right or left she pressed the door bell. Sending an
unexpected note through the house.

***

The two toned bell sang its song in the house. Forcing Kiyone to rethink her
priorities. Handing a baseball bat to Tenchi and hiding a butcher knife in the folds of her
skirt. She looked out the peep hole at the aliens. A little girl and two logs. Unsure how
much damage she could do to the two hovering logs. It seemed obvious to her to go for
the girl and hold her hostage in an emergency.
The door bell rang out again. Tenchi, holding the bat in his right hand like a
sword, waited as she undid the locks and the door opened. Both of the humans retreating
up the hall to where the lowered platform raised up to meet the rest of the house. Kiyone
shot Tenchi a glare as he pushed her behind him and positioned the bat in a typical
batters ready.
*Well he is trying to defend me.* She thought, pissed at him for doing the manly
thing. But happy as well in a small way she would prefer not admit to.
The girl and her companions entered the house and stopped her attitude that of
complete peace and master of this place.

***

The mask that the priestesses, her family, and friends had tried for so long to
teach her settled into place. Ever since she had been presented to the people of Jurai, a
shy little three year old. It had been the most important thing, the only real thing that had
been taught her. She was taught, math and science, to read and write, but those were
secondary to the mask of office. A Juraian princess must never show emotions to the
public. Their minds ordered, with out emotions, calmly passing judgment. Allowing
others to see any weakness any fear could mean a loss in status or power. The most
ordered mind, the Jurain princess who's thoughts were the best hidden, would be the one
that She took as her host the next time. The greatest wish of any princess or so she had
been informed a hundred times.
The princess had failed to believe them, just like Yosho had tried to... The
thought was blocked from the little girls memory by Her. She reinforced the mask. They
both wanted it at this crucial time so worked together to strengthen it.
The door opened revealing a young man holding some kind of club at the ready.
Strong and proud, so like her father, guarding the female behind him. She didn't need
Her to tell the princess that this was Yosho's grandson. She could feel his Jurain power
from here but stronger then it should have been with his diluted and mixed blood.
Almost overpoweringly strong, not even her father had been this powerful. There were
other powers nearby, different then Hers and yet a part of the mixture that gave power to
Yosho's grandson. She tried to gain control over the body in sudden alarm, forcing the
princesses' mask to waiver. The changes of expression on her face disquieted the natives
who began to back away. Her bid for control of the body failed again, frustrated beyond
any reasonable point, She turned all her energy back into reinforcing the mask. The
princess feeling at calm again felt her face return to the mask. Imperial regard reigned
upon the two humans who stood on the brink of violence. Calling upon her training the
little girl spoke.
"You are Yosho's grandson. All hail the next King of Jurai, and my husband to
be." She told Tenchi in perfect Japanese.

***

*So, Yosho was an alien.* Ryoko unconsciously flicked the tip of her tail in
thought. *And to think I didn't even believe in men from mars.* She grinned widely the
death and destruction she so craved could be easily accomplished with that ship. All she
had to do was tempt one inexperienced kid engaged to a child and whisper sweat nothing
in his ears. Something she had done a thousand times. Men were easy that way.
A quote sprang to her mind. "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to make
people believe he didn't exist." Or something like that. With death reigning down from
the heavens how many would believe in god. She smiled the majority would prey to their
science their faith shattered. Billions of souls harvested that he couldn't use for power.
She smiled wider it was too bad she had missed the human's cold war or else humanity
would have already been sent back to the stone age, but this way she could wipe out
every single human. *Lets just see how much he snubs us once all his precious sheep are
dead. And harvesting only a trifle of their souls.* Now was not quite the time to act
though, these things were best done in a more intimate setting.
Even if her plan failed. Not even the great Ryoko could control a human's free
will, Yosho's grandsons soul would be hers to play with on earth and then eventually in
hell.

***

Aeka faced with a problem wholly beyond her level of experience, headed for
home. Quite sure that at least for now, Ryoko wasn't going to make an appearance and
the other part of her mission solved.

***

Grabbing Mihoshi and pushing her towards the back door of Kiyone's house.
Washu had failed to hear the princesses announcement. But she did remember Yosho
telling her that if his people ever came it wouldn't be with good news.

***
*I'm suppose to marry this kid and become some king or emperor or something.
This has got to be a dream. Things like this only happen in Anime. Wake up Tenchi!*

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